Mr Ring was speaking at the opening of Brackloon National School near Westport, where he was accompanied by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

After a number of appeals for funding to finish the school sports grounds, including requests for the minister to approach Sepp Blatter for the funds, Mr Ring joked: "I don't know about Blatter, I don't think he's the man to go to.

"I think the man to go to is John Delaney, he's the only man that I know that can get €5m [for the FAI] and doesn't have to hand it back. So I'll talk to John Delaney and see if he has €20,000 for you, and if not the Taoiseach and I will have to look at some way of finding that money for you."

Mr Kenny took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about his own days as a teacher.

He told the children that "many, many, many years ago" he would pass their school heading for another little rural school in Carrowkennedy. "It's a very, very long time ago. You can look it up in your history books if you wish," he added.